Women Recognized are Innovators, Leaders, and Game-Changers in Their Industry and Community
August 9, 2023 – Lakewood, CO — Encore Electric Benefits Manager Cathy Emerson has been named to Outstanding Women in Business from the Denver Business Journal (DBJ). Each year the DBJ recognizes a group of local women in business whose work not only improves their organization but also the community.
Cathy Emerson is known as a compassionate leader, problem solver, and resource both within Encore Electric and the human resources and benefits industry. Passionate about mental health and total employee wellness, Cathy has been an agent of positive change in the benefits world and has been part of crucial changes that make the lives of those whom she works with and in her community better. 
Every day, Cathy demonstrates her commitment to helping Encore Electric employees and their families take on life’s challenges. Throughout her six-year career with Encore Electric, Cathy has created a benefits program that aims to support the total wellbeing of employees and their families. Cathy has worked to provide her employees with benefits that support their mental, financial, and physical wellness, and has truly helped to cultivate a culture that puts Encore Electric people first.
In addition to building a well-rounded benefits center for employees, Cathy has also prioritized educating employees on the benefits they have available to them and connecting with employees to see what else can be done to better support themselves and their families.
“Cathy Emerson’s well-deserved recognition as one of Denver Business Journal’s ‘Outstanding Women in Business’ is a testament to her unwavering commitment to driving change, inspiring others, and delivering impactful results that uplift our people and the industry at large,” said Chief People Office Al Paxton. “Her dedication to shedding light on the significance of mental health and wellness initiatives serves as an inspiration to us all, and her commendable efforts in addressing our industry’s mental health crisis reflect her genuine commitment to making a positive impact. As a leader managing every aspect of our benefits program for over 1000 employees and their families, Cathy’s remarkable approach brings a fresh perspective to employee well-being, emphasizing holistic support and empowering our workforce to thrive.”
Beyond her work at Encore Electric, Cathy works closely with the Center for Health, Work & Environment on the Recovery Friendly Workplace and Total Worker Health initiatives, as well as with HealthLinks, an alternative to assisted living facilities that provides at-home seniors with non-intrusive health monitoring. Outside organizations regularly call on Cathy for advice on how to create their own benefits programs that support total employee wellness, inspired by the program she has developed for her own employees at Encore Electric.
“I am so honored to be selected for the DBJ Outstanding Women in Business award and thankful for even being nominated. It’s a little surreal to be recognized because I don’t think of my position as a ‘job’,” said Emerson. “I really love what I do with people, benefits, and employee well-being. I look forward to coming in every day and figuring out challenges people have with insurance, researching new ways to help with overall wellness in the workplace and answering questions on benefits. My advice for others is to keep challenging yourself to find the career path that really makes you happy, you won’t regret your choice and you’ll enjoy what it brings to you every day.”